WhiteSpace Alliance Publishes Wi-FAR Certification Test Format

CHELMSFORD, MASS.—A new test vector format from the WhiteSpace Alliance (WSA) has been published for certifying compliance with TV white space Wi-FAR interoperability specification. The testing format was created by WSA members AmeriSys, Inc., and Saankyha Labs, with results reviewed and approved by other WSA member companies.

Wi-FAR, a WSA-developed derivative of the IEEE 802.22 Wireless Regional Area Network standard, is a point-to-multipoint wireless broadband specification. Wi-FAR supports line-of-sight and non-line-of-sight broadband services up to 30km, allowing for deployment of middle- and last-mile solutions to regional, rural and remote areas.

The WSA test vector format is designed to address Physical and Media Access Control layer transmission between white space base stations and customer premise equipment. The specification defines a standard, implementation-independent language for test vectors to evaluate interoperability of white space solutions. Written in this standardized language, test vectors will enable vendors to converge toward a set of interoperable systems through a test suite. The test format also provides clarifications and updates to the IEEE Std. 802.22-2011 Wi-FAR standard.

As broadcasters find themselves one month into Phase 2 of the FCC spectrum repack, the effort to develop technologies to enable use of remaining vacant TV channels for other purposes picked up momentum with advances in the specification for Wi-FAR networks.